TAJIKISTAN WUNRN-MODAR CONFERENCE DECLARATION 

OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “EQUAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION” ON RESOLVING THE EXISTING PROBLEMS ON COVERAGE OF CHILDREN IN EDUCATION AND PROVISION OF GENDER BALANCE IN EDUCATION

DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN, 13-14 SEPTEMBER, 2006

A condition of children in Tajikistan is the main prioritized problem nowadays. Thesis that children are the future of the country - could hardly be litigated as well as these futures arouse a deep concern. Numerous aspects of this problem, practically involve all parts of our society.

During the last years, owing to efforts of government and international donors – general situation in education as well as in coverage of children problem start improving. Thematic regulatory and legal framework is developed, social status of persons concerned with education is improving, new schools are opened, and conditions of activity of educational institutions are improving. But the problems of equal access to education, especially among the female child still exist. Despite the actions undertaken by the Government of the country, civil society should establish new priorities in gender and education issues.

At the international conference “Equal Access to Education” (13-14 September 2006, Dushanbe), donor WUNRN–Women’s UN Report Network conducted with NGO “Modar” together with the Ministry of Education, the participants formulated tasks and suggested solutions that would assist in normalization of  gender situation in education of Tajik children. During the work of the conference all participants - representatives from the Ministry of education of Tajikistan, deputy chiefs of regional, city and district Hukumats, education institutions, leaders of the NGOs, mass media and international foundations expressed their attitude towards this issue.

Participants, actively participating in the working groups and identifying the obstacles that prevent girls to get the school education concluded that poverty is not the only reason. The main obstacle actually is a combination of poverty and highly expressed traditional gender inequality. The discussion detected the disappointment and disability among the teachers as well as lack of respect towards the teachers work from the population. Low wages of teachers and poverty of society around, including the absence of adequate infrastructure and equipments, lack of necessary education tools and modern technologies to be used for training made them think that authorities do not pay adequate attention to them as well as community around is not respecting them.

Social norms and traditional values easily assimilate among the school children, especially boys. But girls, if not supported by their parents and society, suffer a significant problem in creating the positive individual goals strategy, especially in getting education.

As mentioned by biotunes (female religious person), the clear division of roles of men/boy and women/girl exist between parents and exactly this differentiation cause a gender discrimination. Absence of professional and social ambitions of the parents towards their daughters lead to the fact that girls stay at home with their parents and afterwards, getting married they continue staying at home with the parents of their husband, occupied just with household. 

Despite the consent to this situation, women suffer of being in a locked world having contacts only with members of their family and couple of neighboring women living in a same position. Such limitations of physical world for women cause influence on a psychic, social and intellectual development of girls. Their perspectives for the future are limited, especially because of traditions where the girls are accepted as a potential housewives and mothers.

Considering the discussions, notes and suggestions expressed in the reports, speeches, results of the working groups represented by the government structures, international and local NGOs, independent experts - following recommendations representing initial steps in determining the deep-rooted reasons in girl’s education were developed:

1.   Stressing the actuality and importance of the problem, the participants of the Conference express their appreciation to the Ministry of Education of Tajikistan, number of women organizations under WUNRN and NGO “Modar” for conducting the International Conference with participation of representatives of wide group of society - government structures, different ministries, international agencies, clergy, city and district educational institutions, independent specialists and experts in the sphere of education.

2.   On Government and Ministry of Education level:

·        At the new stage of development to modernize the policy considering the interests of the children – move to the implementation of faster growth program, improve the quality parameters in provision of vital activity of children;

·        To consider the introduction of alterations in the Tajik legislation regarding the mandatory full secondary education (11 years of education);

• Provide the equal access to the different level education irrespective the residency and level of income, entirely based on individual knowledge and ability of the child.
• Identify and involve to the education non-educated children, especially girls of 6,5-8 to15 ages and accept special measures on preventing and limiting the cases of break-up education.
• Implement special measures on supporting the education of children living in the rural areas.
• In order to decrease the early marriage and improve the level of education of female child - to consider the issue on introduction of alterations in the family law book of Tajikistan.
• Develop the coordination among the state, social and religious structures and organizations on involvement of girls to the educational process;
• To restore the professional orientation study for the students with further receipt of certificates confirming the professional education.
• Increase the level of legal education for children in the frames of school program, to introduce children to the basis of health culture, conscientious attitude to the family life;
• Increase the work of Coordination Councils addressed the development of female child by creating the branches in the towns and districts;
• Develop regional approach mechanism on solving existing problems;
• Conduct the expertise of the content of “History of religion” program considering the gender problems;
• Assist in provision of schools by psychologists and specialists on professional orientation;
• Conduct competitions among the educational institutions on increase of inflow of girls;  
• Create a data base and publish annual reports on situation of children in Tajikistan based on government and departmental statistic monitoring and research work of NGOs;
• Maintain the discipline on respecting the human dignity of schoolchildren, students, teachers in the educational institutions eliminating methods of physical and psychical violence.
• Develop the psychological services in the educational system and educational institutions for the children having problems with education, behavior and social adaptation;
• Provide medical and psychological accompaniment and special conditions for the education of children with limited health ability preferably at the schools near their residence. In case of  availability of medical evidence provision of education at the special and boarding schools;

3.  On NGO level

·        Assist in increase of information awareness among the teachers, parents and wide range of population on gender issues;

·        Develop and implement different projects on abovementioned problems;

·        Develop social partnership with the ministry of education of Tajikistan, local governance bodies, international organizations and NGOs on improving the gender situation in education;

·        Assist in unification of efforts of all the structures in liquidation of negative stereotypes towards the education of girls;

·        Develop the illumination of parents and girls on child rights and its protection, education of girls and different aspects of their activity and opportunities in obtaining prompt assistance;

4. On a Mass Media level:

·        Wide use of availabilities in circulating the gender equality concepts, including the equal access to education;

·        Conduct radio and TV debates on provision of equal access to education for vulnerable groups of population with involvement of the representatives of government structures, independent specialist and community;

·        Assist in circulation of advanced experience in solving the gender problems in education;

·        Maintain a permanent column on gender education among the population;

·        Provide the wide information awareness among the population on child situation, especially female child in the country;

·        Special attention should be given to journalists and other mass media specialists highlighting the situation of children and their rights. The education program for the specialists supposed to work with children should include the Convention of Child Rights, other international statements and Tajik legislation on protection of child rights;

Participants of the Conference hope that most of these recommendations accordant to the concept and plans of building the democratic society in our country and will be considered while accepting the new programs, statements and decrees.

Participants of the International Conference

“Equal Access to Education”

13-14 September 2006,

Dushanbe, Tajikistan